Indicating device for bins.



T. E. IBBERSON. INDIGATING DEVICE FOR BINS.

. APPLICATION FILED APR. 28,1913. 1, 1 1 1,464.,

Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

T re ya M we a m n 6. J a s THOMAS E. IBIBEBSON, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

INDICATIN DEVICE FOR BIN S.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 22, 1914.

Application filed April 28, 1913, Serial No. 764,141.

To all it may concern Be it known that I, Tnomas E. IBBERsoN,

a citizen of the United States, resident of Minneapolis, Hennepin county, Minnesota, have invented certam new and useful Improvements in Indicating Devices for Bills, of which the following is a specificat1on.

object of my invention is to provide a device actuated by the pressure of the grain or other material in the bin for closing an electric circuit and sounding an alarm to indicate that the bin is filled to the desired height A further object of my invention 1s to rovide a ver simple device, one which will he economical to manufacture and install and will be positively operated by the pressure of the material in the bin.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as Y hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view, partially in section, illustrating the application of my invention to a grain bin, Fig. 2 is' a detail sectional View of the device that is actuated by the ain to close the circuit, Fig. 3 is a front view of the device.

In the drawing,.2 represents a grain bin. I have shown two of these bins, arranged side by side, butthere may be any number of them grouped together, as usual in structures of this kind. The grain flows in through the spout 3 at the top of the bin,-

' and it is desirable to provide some device actuated by the pressure of the grain for indicating to an attendant at a distance when the 'graln has reached a certain height. I am aware that devices of this kind for a similar purpose have been used before, but most of.

them are on the swinging blade or leaf principle and are not as posltive and reliable in their operation as the device herein shown.

On the wall of the bin at a suitable height a bracket 4 is secured. Between this bracket and the walls of the bin I provide contact springs 5 and 6 secured to the bracket by insulated bolts 7-and extending toward one another and having their adjacent ends lapping by but out of contact with each other, as indicated in 2'. An electric conductor 3 leads from tine of these contact springs to one side of a hell 9 and a similar conductor 10 leads from the other contact spring to a battery B and to a switch S that is confrom turning thereby.

nected with the other side of the bell. The

switch is adapted to control the circuit fortwo bins, and there may be as many switch points and circuit closers therefor as there are bins in the system. On the bracket 4: a

tube 11 is mounted, having a cap 12 provided with a hole 13 therein and a guide 14 is provided in the inner end of the tube. In the hole 13. and the guide 1-]: a spindle 15 is adapted to slide and is preferably provided with squared outer portions 16 fitting the square hole in the cap 12 and prevented On the outer end of the spindle a plate 17 is mounted. The tube 11 andthe spindle sliding therein are referably inclined to the horizontal, an the plate 17 mounted on the outer end of the spindle lies at right angles thereto in position to be struck by the grain as it flows outwardly to the sides of the bin. from the delivery spout. As indicated in Fig. 1. this plate stands preferably at right angles to the surface of the pile of grain as it flows down from the spout and accumulates in a conical pile in the middle of the bin. the grain flows down the inclined edges of the pile. it .will gradually come closer to the lower edge of the plate 17 and finally contact with it. and a certain portion of the grain will be arrested and when a suflicient amountof grain has accumulated on the surface of the plate the pressure will force the plate downwardly and the inner end of the spindle being in contact with the spring 6. the free end of said spring will be forced downwardly until it contacts with the spring 5, whereupon the circuit will be closed. the alarm sounded. and the attendant. will know that the grain has risen to a point above the level of the plate in the bin. The spring 6 has sufiicient tension to normally hold the plate 17 inits raised. inoperative position. and when thepressure of the grain is relieved on the plate the spring will push the spindle upwardly and break the contact with the spring The plate may be arranged in a vertical position. close to the wall of the bin. so that the lateral pressure of the grain will finally become sufficientto push the plate outwardly and close the alarm circuit. I prefer. however. to arrange the plate at an angle to the horizontal. as it will be m re reliable and sensitive to the pressure of the grain.

The device may be made of any suitable size and the area of the plate 17 may be varied accordin to the desired degree of sensitiveness 0 the indicator, and in various ways the details of construction herein shown and described may be modified and still be within the scope of my invention. 7

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination, with a bin wall, of a bracket secured thereon, a guide mounted on said bracket and inclined upwardly and inwardly therefrom, said guide having bearings near each end thereof, contact springs mounted in said bracket and normally separated, an electric circuit connected with said springs and having a signaling device, a spindle mounted to slide in the bearings in said guide and having a limited longitudnal movement toward and from said springs, but held at each end by said guides against lateral movement, a plate mounted on said spindle and lying in a plane at right angles substantially to the direction of flow of the grain toward the wall of said bin, the pressure of the grain on said plate movlng said spindle inwardly to force said contact springs together and close said circuit when a predetermined quantity of grain has entered said bin.

2; The combination, with a bin wall, of a spindle mounted to move upwardly and inwardly in hearings on said wall and having a limited longitudinal movement in said bearings, a plate mounted on said s indle and lying ina plane at right angles su stantially to the direction of flow of the grain "toward the wall of said bin, the pressure of the grain on said plate moving said spindle inwardly, an indicating device having an electric circuit and contact devices connected with said circuit in the path to be. actuated thereby at a predetermined point in the longitudinal movement of said spindle, whereby the operator will be warned by said indicating device when a predetermined quantity 0 grain has entered the bin.

of said spindle In witness whereof, I have hereunto set 45 my hand this 25th day of April, 1913.

THOMAS E. IBBERSON. Witnesses:

Gmmvmvn E. SORENSEN, EDWARD A. PAUL. 

